Formaldehyde-lamp.



No. 631,370. Patented Aug. 29, |899.

.1. H. HoLMAN.

FORMALDEHYDE LAMP.

(Application led Apr. 14, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

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Patented Aug. 29, |899.

N0. 63l,870. f

A J. H. HoLMAN.

FORMALDEHYDE LAMP.

' (Application led Apr. 14. 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y SSE SUNITED STATES lPATENT Erica@ JAMES I-I. IIOLMAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS,INDIANA.

FORIVIALDEHYDE-LAM P.

SPECIFICATIONYforming part of Letters Patent No. 631,870,`dated August29, 1899. Application-filed Apri114,1898. Serial No. 677,606. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES Il. IIOLMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Generators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an efficient device, of largecapacity in proportion to its size, for generating gases, particularlythat variety known as formaldehyde gas.

Said invention consists ina certaiunew and improved construction andarrangement of parts whereby a high order of result is secured, as willbe hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof Vandon which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure lis a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying my presentinvention; Fig. 2, a horizontal plan view with the generating-chamberremoved, as seen from the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. l; Fig. 3, a view ofthe superheating device, which is here shown as an ordinarypipe-coil;Fig. 4, aiplan view as seen from the dotted line 4 d in Fig. l; Fig. 5,a perspective View of the. baffleplate which is situated above thesuperheating-coil; Fig. G, a horizontal section al view as seen from thedotted line 6 6 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 a horizontal sectional view asseen from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. l.

In said drawings the portionsmarked A represent the reservoir for `thefluid from which the gas is to be generated; B, a tube leadingtherefrom; C, a cup-shaped structure surrounding said tube near theupper end and serving as a combustion-hearth; D, a superheating device,preferably in the form of a coil; E, a baffle-plate situated over saidcoil; F, an inclosing cap covering said baille'- plateand saidsuperheating-coil; G, a cupshaped structure connected to theupwardlyextending end of the coil and locatedwithin the gas-genaratingchamber; Il, said chainber, and I a disk within said chamber.

The reservoirA isV of suitable formv and size to contain the fluid fromwhich lthe gas is to be generated, which for formaldehyde gas is, as iswell known, generally wood-al- -ing-chamber II.

cohol. Connected to the upper portion of this reservoir A is an elasticbulb A', by vwhich air-pressure can be applied to the contents of thereservoir, thus forcing them out through the perforationsin the tube Bupon occasion. The neck of this reservoir is prefably closed by means ofa screw cap or plugAZ.

' The tube B preferably leads out from the bottom of the reservoirhorizontally for a distance, and thence upwardly to a pointsubstantially level with the top of the fluid in the reservoir A whenthe latter is filled, and its upper end b is preferably swelled or bulblike in form. At its extreme upper end it contains a series ofperforations b', through which vapor generated from the fluid mayescape, and above said perforations said pipe is connected to the coilD. A cock B is provided in the horizontal member of the tube B for thepurpose of shutting off the flowof fluid when desired. From just beyondsaid cock a wick w leads upto and into thebulb b land serves after theordinary manner of wicks toconduct the fluid from the reservoir to thebulb.

The cup or hearth C surrounds the vertical member of the pipe B and isadapted to receive and contain any overdow of fluid from theperforations in the bulb-like head b and also to serve as acombustion-surface upon which the burning fluid may rest, whereby thebulb b may be heated and the duid inside of the same vaporized. Afterthe operation of vaporizing'is Well begun the iiame from the escapingvapor alone is quite sufficientto cause the operation to continue, andthe combustion-hearth C is therefore inactive during the greater portionof the time the apparatus is in operation.

The superheating device is preferably in the form of a coil D, whichleads vertically from the upper end of the tube B for a short distanceand then after making several turns leads inwardly again over the turnsto a bulb el, connected to the lower end of the generat- While thisdevice is shown in the form of an ordinary pipe-coil, it -may of coursebe a cast structure, if desired, and the superheater and baffle-platemay bein such case formed integrally, if desired.

The baffle-plate E is laid upon the upper side of the superheaterD andserves to force IOO the products of combustion outwardly from the centerunder and around the members of said coil or superhcater to the outersides thereof and thence over said sides to above said baffle-plate,whence it escapes through the perforations in the upper side of the capF. Stud-like arms e extend up from this baffle-plate and rest againstthe upper side of said cap F and serve to help unite and strengthen thestructure.

The cap F is `open on the under side and closed on the upper side exceptthat it has a series of perfcrations f' in its top near the centerthrough which the products of combustion escape. It is secured to thestem-like lower end of the generating-chamber H, as shown in Fig. 1. Asupport f' for the middle member of the generating-chamber(when the sameis turned down) extends upwardlyfrom one side of this cap F.

The part G is cup-like in form and is contained within the lower end ofthe generating-chamber II and preferably conforms to the shape of saidlower end, although somewhat smaller in size, so as to leave a clearspace between the two parts. Said part G serves mainly as a distributerof the air and the products of combustion as they enter thegas-generating chamber. It also serves to diffuse the vapor which entersit from below.

The generating-chamber His preferably, as shown, composed of threeparts, the upper and lower ends being semispherical and the centralportion cylindrical. The central portion is preferably hinged to thelower portion by a hinge h.

' on their hinges, they occupy the positions shown by the dotted linesin Fig. l, the middle or body portion of the gas-generating chamberresting upon the support f', while the upper semispherical end restsagainst the handle h2 of the said middle portion. These portions on theopposite sides from the hinges are also preferably provided withspringcatches h4 and h5.

The disk I is placed within the gas-generating chamber, preferably atthe top of the middle portion, and it preferably consists of a gauze ofplatinum wire, platinum being the best metal for the purpose, as is wellknown from practical experience. I do not desire to limitmyself,however,as to the form,construction, or material of this disk.The intense heat arising from the superheated vapor and from theproducts of combustion as they arise around and into the gas-generatingchamber produces and maintains a very high temperature in said chamber,attached as it is directly to the superheating-coil D, and in all partsconnected thereto. The disk I participates in these effects, and whenthe apparatus is in operation maintains substantially a red heat, whichis the most efficient temperature for the purpose.

The operation of this invention may be described as follows: At first aslight pressure upon the bulb A' causes the fluid to overflow When theseparts are thrown back slightly into the cup or hearth C. The overflow isthen lighted, which heats the bulb l) Aand vaporizes the fluid. Aportion of the vapor escapes through the perforations h at the upperside of said bulb and forms a fuel, the flame from which impingesagainst'the coil D, as shown in Fig. 1. The greater portion of thevapor,however,passes through said coil, and is thus superheated by theburning of the escaping portion. This after being so superheated passesinto the cup-like part G, and thence into the gas-generating chamber,where it strikes the disk I. At iirst in order to get the required heaton said disk I prefer to throw back the upper section of thegenerating-chamber and. light the vapor as it comes through the fineperforations of said disk. After the burning has continued for a fewmoments I close the top of the generating-chamber, which has the' effectto extinguish the flame at this point, and then the generation of thegas proceeds with great rapidity, and said gas escapes into the room orsterilizing-chamber in which the apparatus is placed. The products ofcombustion from. that portion of the vapor which escapes through theorifices in the bulb b after passing up around the coil and up throughthe orifices f in the cap F also enters (along with a certain amount ofatmospheric air) the perforations p in the lower section of thegenerating-chamber I-I. The mixture of atmospheric air with thehighly-heated vapor and thefthorough mingling therewith which occurs inthis chamber, especially when they come in contact with the disk I,produce the formaldehyde gas in large quantities.

As will be observed, in my apparatus a portion of the vapor constitutesthe fuel by which the other portion of the vapor is superheated, thatportion which is not used as a fuel passing through the coil D (in whichit is superheated bythe heat produced by the combustion of the otherportion) and passingthence into the generating-chamber,where it becomesmixed with atmospheric air and so forms the gas.

Having thus fully described my said invention, -what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. In a formaldehyde-gasgenerator,the combination, of the Huid-reservoir, a tube leadingtherefrom and upwardly and formed with perforations in its sides nearits top through which a portion of the gas may escape and burn under thesuperheating-coil, a combustion-hearth just below said perforations,said snperheating-coil connected with the top of said tube just abovesaid perforations, and a generating-chamber connected to the top of saidcoil, and formed with perforations in its lower side for ,theingress ofgas and air from below, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a formaldehydegas generator, of thefluid-reservoir, the tube leading out and upwardly therefrom, thegasburner formed around near the top of said IOO tube, thesuperheating-coil connected therewith just above said burner,theinverted cupshaped cap F covering said coil and formed With aperturesnear the center of its top, the generating-chamber connected with thetop of said coil above said cap, and formed with apertures in its underside to permit the ingress of air and the gas from beneath said cap, allsubstantially as set forth.

3. In a formaldehyde-gas generator, the combination, of thehuid-reservoir, the tube leading therefrom and upwardly, thesuperheating apparatus on its upper end, the generating-chamber on thetop of said superheating apparatus, and the diffusing device G in thebottom of said chamber with a free space between them, substantially asset forth.

4. The combination, in a formaldehydegas generating apparatus, of areservoir for the fiuid from which the gas is to be made, a tube leadingfrom said reservoir, a superheating device attached to the upper end ofsaid tube,

lWardly, and a disk extending across the same near the upper end saiddisk containing metallic gauze.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of April, A. D. 1898.

JAMES I-I. HOLMAN.

IVitnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH.

